End of Year Knitting Recap… and a little more

I’d planned on posting this last week but I became ill (I’m right as rain now), then my daughter had some reactions to her antibiotics (she’s great now) and then the start of this week was full of errands and appointments.

I either had food poisoning or some IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) – which is in my family; mother, her twin, their brother and father. I still don’t know which it was, but I’m better now and did make some dietary changes to help myself.

Dear daughter has been on antibiotics for a few week to clear up a sinus infection she was suffering from, but they were so strong she needed to take probiotics as well to keep her body healthy. She went in for a CT scan yesterday and her sinuses are all clear (yay)! She’s already been scheduled for surgery to get her tonsils and adenoids removed (she has OSA: obstructive sleep apnea) so that should help her.
And now, into the meat of this blog post: 2015 knitting recap!
For the particulars, you can click on THIS to see my Ravelry Project list and see everything I’ve worked on in 2015 (well and other years too)

Below you see a little slideshow of the socks I knit this year (some don’t have photos of the sock complete and one pair is completely missing from the list – I forgot to photo the socks)

 

I’ve decided that in 2016 that I will not only knit socks, but I’ll start a mitered square blanket made from sock scraps.

This is about all I have to say for tonight, I’ve got dinner cooking and we are going to all watch a movie for New Years Eve. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and safe new year.

Here’s to 2016!

2016 #yearofsockschallenge

 
Good evening readers!
As promised, I have gathered my list of 2016 #yearofsockschallenge patterns that I plan on knitting this coming year. Again, I’m going to try to only to knit 12 pair in 2016 (let’s be honest, I have no control! But it’s a nice idea.)

Let’s fast forward a couple of weeks to January and jump right into the first socks.

January 2016:
Nine-to-Five Socks by Nicole Hindes

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer in Jay.

February 2016:
Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer in Fiji.

March 2016:
Anastasia Socks by MintyFresh

These will be made with Knit Picks Sock Landscape in Tropical Sunrise. (sadly, not available anymore, I bought this wool from someone’s Ravelry stash) In the photo below, it’s the two hanks on the left.

April 2016:
Smocks of Love by Meaghan Schmaltz

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Heathers in Rainforest Heather.

May 2016:
Bandwagon Socks by Phreadde Davis

These will be made with Garnstudio DROPS Fabel in Lila (or Purple for the US site, just scroll down to Uni Color)

June 2016:
Elementary Watson Socks by Sherry Menton

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Heathers in Forest Heather.

July 2016:
Hearty-Stripy Socks by Polly McElDowney

These will be made with Knit Picks Felici in Rainbow and Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer in Chrome.

August 2016:
Little Minx by Karen Scott

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Brights in Vibrant Violet.

September 2016:
Nutkin by Beth LaPensee

These will be made with Garnstudio DROPS Fabel in Mustard (just scroll down to Uni Color)

October 2016:
Zigzagular Socks by Susie White

These will be made with Knit Picks Felici in Spooky. (sorry, this is another discontinued color – another purchase from someone’s Ravelry stash)

November 2016:
November Socks by Birgitte Zeuner

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Tweed in Reindeer Heather.

December 2016:
Paraphernalia by Taina Anttila

These will be made with Knit Picks Stroll Heathers in Duchess Heather.

And a bonus pair once I finish knitting some socks that use Knit Picks Stroll – I’ll use those left overs to knit these:

Dither by General Hogbuffer
I think that this list of socks will help me improve my knitting skills. There are a few easy patterns I’ve mixed in because I don’t want to burn myself out with difficult socks.

Are there socks that you are looking forward to making soon? Do you want to challenge yourself to a yearly sock challenge?

Sock-inspirations

Sock-inspirations! Sockspirations? Sockspo? It all says the same thing: sock knitting/knitters that inspire.

I’m one of those knitters that thinks I’m just an okay knitter. I am told that I am great, but I just think I’m good. I see these knitters on Ravelry and Instagram that make my heart flutter with excitement that I might be that great of a knitter one day as well. Granted I’ve only been knitting a few years…. 5 or so. I dabbled with loom knitting (it wasn’t for me and seems like more work than actual knitting) I’m an ex-hooker/crocheter because I only crochet blankets (I’ve tried knitting blankets but I don’t have the patience) though I’ve been wanting to knit a sock yarn scrap blanket but who am I kidding.

I want to knit sweaters one day, with the confidence and speed I knit a pair of socks. And one day I will, but socks are so darn portable and the fact that it is quicker gratification from finishing something you can wear, in a few days, makes me stay with socks.

Someone I follow on Instagram is one of my favorite sock knitters (her pictures are great!)  SarahHepworth!

I aspire to knit just as many beautiful and colorful socks resulting in a drawer just as gorgeous! I spy some of my favorite sock wool too! Good old Knit Picks Felici!

I have been scheduling in my planner when I need to have socks finished by and when I start a new pair. It’s helped me stay on track this year and exceed my plan of 12 socks in 12 months for my #yearofsockchallenge. This year I’ve started and finished 21 pairs of socks with two more to complete. One of those being my daughter’s Christmas gift and the other being some more for myself.

I’m only aiming for 12 pair next year, though I’m sure I’ll go over that. I have chosen some harder patterns so I can challenge my knitting abilities and develop some better skills. I hope to knit a few sweaters in 2016. For my children and myself. I have had a few in my queue for a while because I couldn’t find a wool I liked (in the past I’ve used acrylic, but now I want to use a nice super wash wool) and now I’ve used some wools I’ve never used in the past, I’m spoiled and don’t like to work with scratchy ones. I just have to save my pennies for those purchases.

Here are some photos of socks I’ve knit this year:

Based on Hermione’s Everyday Sock pattern found on Ravelry…. I adapted the pattern for this sock because it was 60 stitches around.

I knit these as directed in the pattern, didnt care for the fit since they are slightly loose so I will knit these differently in the future. This is still one of my favorite easy patterns.

These socks turned out great! The fit is PERFECT, and they are so warm… but they were a pain in the backside! 5 weeks and enough frogging to fill a pond. All in all, worth the effort (just this once!)

Stay tuned for my future posts: End of Year Knitting Recap; 2016 #yearofsockschallenge; and Online wool sellers I support/recommend.
Who inspires your knitting? What do you hope to accomplish in your craft?! If you have anything you’d like me to blog about, feel free to message or leave a comment.